1926 neutrality and non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union
Established mutual neutrality between Germany and the Soviet Union, extending the Rapallo framework and shaping European diplomatic alignments in the interwar period.
Key Facts
- Date Signed
- 24 April 1926
- Ratification Exchange
- 29 June 1926, Berlin
- Treaty Duration
- Five years
- League of Nations Registration
- 3 August 1926
- Renewal Protocol Signed
- 24 June 1931
- Protocol Ratified
- 5 May 1933
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the Treaty of Rapallo in 1922, Germany and the Soviet Union sought to maintain and formalize their cooperative relationship. Germany's entry into the League of Nations and Western diplomatic engagement created pressure to reassure Moscow that Berlin would not align against Soviet interests.
On 24 April 1926, Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Treaty of Berlin, committing each party to neutrality should the other be attacked by a third power. The agreement reaffirmed the spirit of the 1922 Rapallo Treaty and was registered with the League of Nations in August 1926.
The treaty reinforced German–Soviet diplomatic ties during the interwar period. It was renewed by additional protocol in 1931 and ratified in May 1933, extending the neutrality arrangement even after the Nazi rise to power, though German–Soviet relations ultimately deteriorated through the 1930s.
Political Outcome
Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to mutual neutrality for five years in the event of attack by a third party; the treaty was later renewed by protocol in 1931 and ratified in 1933.
German–Soviet relations governed primarily by the 1922 Treaty of Rapallo
Formalized neutrality pact extending and reinforcing the Rapallo framework for five years